Agro Perspectiva

AGCO Committed to Growing Presence in China and India

05.05.2011 10:19 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — AGCO, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, took another step today in implementing its growth strategy in Asia by appointing Andreas Georg Weishaar as Vice President and Managing Director, China and India. «AGCO’s worldwide strategy is to provide high tech solutions to farmers feeding the world and our initiatives aim at operational efficiencies to benefit farmers globally,» said Martin Richenhagen, AGCO Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. «Our expansion in China and India is achieving both of these goals. Andreas’ promotion signals our commitment to agriculture in these nations.» «This appointment further strengthens AGCO’s team in these major markets and will help us accelerate the realization of our plans to serve domestic farmers with AGCO products as well as to leverage China and India as manufacturing bases from which to serve global markets,» said Hubertus Mühlhäuser, AGCO Senior Vice President, Strategy & Integration and General Manager Eastern Europe & Asia. «Under the leadership of Weishaar, AGCO plans to make significant investments over the next few years in China.» In China, Weishaar is responsible for the set-up of AGCO’s tractor operation at Changzhou in Jiangsu Province which started production earlier this year and will expand to produce a full range of 50 hp to 130 hp Massey Ferguson® tractors as well as AGCO SISU Power engines. Weishaar also leads the set-up of AGCO’s operation in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, where the company will manufacture Valtra® high-horsepower tractors and assembly of AGCO combines. Both provinces are key agricultural production areas with well established supply bases. «AGCO is bringing manufacturing closer to the market, increasing product selection and increasing concentration on products that meet local requirements in this important market,» said Mühlhäuser. «AGCO has been a leading tractor exporter to China for the last seven years, delivering hundreds of Valtra high-horsepower products to Heilongjiang Province. Now we are taking the next step to serve our customers.» In India, Weishaar supervised a global AGCO team engaged in further strengthening the company’s long term strategic alliance with Tractor & Farm Equipment (TAFE) Ltd. in Chennai, India, since November 2007. AGCO holds a 23.75% share in TAFE, India’s second largest farm equipment manufacturer. The joint TAFE / AGCO team delivers Indian-built Massey Ferguson tractors to AGCO’s global distribution as well as leverages component sourcing opportunities for AGCO manufacturing facilities. Weishaar joined AGCO’s Strategy & Integration team in October 2005 and has been Vice President, Strategy & Integration, since January 2009 and is responsible for the company’s strategy development and implementation. In addition, he assumed the role of Vice President, Operations, China and India in November 2009. Prior to joining AGCO, he was a Senior Manager in the Strategy & Organization practice of Arthur D. Little. He graduated from the European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany, with a Master in Business Administration (Diplom Kaufmann) including semesters at Thunderbird, Glendale, AZ, USA, as well as the Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Dijon, France. He will be located in Changzhou, China.